Senior Marlene Dirnstorfer was the lone Lady Tiger to win a singles match in the team's season opener.

Jan. 23, 2004

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - -
The University of Memphis women's tennis team won the doubles point, but won just one out of six singles matches to fall, 5-2, to UT Chattanooga in both team's spring opener, Friday.

The Lady Tigers won two of the three doubles matches to open the spring season, winning the top two doubles matches to go up early in the match, 1-0.

But UT Chattanooga came back to pick up singles wins at the No. 2-6 spots to take the 5-2 win.

Memphis senior Marlene Dirnstorfer was the lone Lady Tiger to pick up a singles win. Dirnstorfer lost her opening set at No. 1, 7-5, and bounced back to win the second set over Cynthia Oulevay, 6-1. Both players held serve in the third set before Dirnstorfer broke Oulevay's serve to go up 3-2, but Oulevay broke right back on the next point to tie the match up against at 3 all and held her own serve to go up 4-3. Dirnstorfer came out after the break and held her serve for 4 all then broke Oulevay as an Oulevay backhand sailed long to put Dirnstorfer up 5-4. The senior then served out the match, 6-4, to pick up her first singles win of the season.

"We played pretty well for it being our first match of the season," Memphis Head Coach Charlotte Peterson said. "Marlene played well and Viktoria really battled in her match at No. 2. We had some tight matches."

The Lady Tigers will have a 14-day break from match play to prepare for a pair of matches in St. Louis. Memphis will face Butler at 2:30 p.m., Feb. 7th, in a neutral site match, then will face C-USA foe St. Louis in their conference opener the following morning at 9 a.m.

Chattanooga travels to Oxford, Miss., to face the Lady Rebels, Saturday, for a 10 a.m. match.